[OVERVIEW]
With the combination of Magic Guard and Focus Sash, Abra finds a niche as an all-purpose utility Pokemon able to survive any attack once. This allows Abra to work as a trump card and revenge kill most threats in a pinch. Abra also outspeeds a large portion of the tier, including some important threats like Monferno or Arbok. However, Abra without the Focus Sash has paper-thin defenses and its Speed still falls short of outspeeding most of the truly fast threats in the tier like Swanna or Zebstrika.
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Thunder Wave / Encore
move 4: Knock Off / Encore
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
The combination of Magic Guard and Focus Sash is critical for this set to function, since it allows Abra to survive all single-hit attacks at least once. Psychic is the preferred STAB option thanks to having the most raw power, and Signal Beam is excellent coverage to hit threats like Beheeyem or Shiftry to help revenge kill. Abra also has a flexible choice of three good options for the last two moveslots. Thunder Wave is handy for disabling any fast threats like Swanna or Jumpluff that might cause trouble otherwise. Knock Off is great for disrupting the opponent by getting rid of valuable items like Eviolite from common switch-ins like Bronzor, and with Magic Guard Abra can actually afford to come in and Knock Off potentially multiple times in a single match. Encore is the last option and is good for forcing support and set-up Pokemon into unfavorable moves, such as forcing Duosion to Calm Mind or Bronzor to Stealth Rock endlessly. Any of the three last options are perfectly valid options to run and it really comes down to what the rest of the team values most.
Abra finds a home on offensive teams that tend to not have enough of a defensive backbone to take on multiple varied threats and therefore need a blanket check to most anything thrown their way. Abra is unique in that it does not provide much to a team in terms of basic synergy, offensive or defensive, but instead fills in shortcomings in roles. Abra's ability to disable fast threats like Swanna or Simisear either by paralyzing them with Thunder Wave or by simply revenge killing them is extremely appreciated by teammates like Monferno or Huntail who might be revenge killed otherwise. Abra's further ability to disable walls like Bronzor or Stunfisk with Encore or Knock Off also makes them considerably easier to overcome, which is adored by partners like Torterra or Zebstrika that can be walled otherwise. Abra also desperately wants to avoid taking any unnecessary damage, so partners that can bring Abra in safely like Klang or Jumpluff are great choices.
[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/akir.231726/
With the combination of Magic Guard and Focus Sash, Abra finds a niche as an all-purpose utility Pokemon able to survive any attack once. This allows Abra to work as a trump card and revenge kill most threats in a pinch. Abra also outspeeds a large portion of the tier, including some important threats like Monferno or Arbok. However, Abra without the Focus Sash has paper-thin defenses and its Speed still falls short of outspeeding most of the truly fast threats in the tier like Swanna or Zebstrika.
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Thunder Wave / Encore
move 4: Knock Off / Encore
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
The combination of Magic Guard and Focus Sash is critical for this set to function, since it allows Abra to survive all single-hit attacks at least once. Psychic is the preferred STAB option thanks to having the most raw power, and Signal Beam is excellent coverage to hit threats like Beheeyem or Shiftry to help revenge kill. Abra also has a flexible choice of three good options for the last two moveslots. Thunder Wave is handy for disabling any fast threats like Swanna or Jumpluff that might cause trouble otherwise. Knock Off is great for disrupting the opponent by getting rid of valuable items like Eviolite from common switch-ins like Bronzor, and with Magic Guard Abra can actually afford to come in and Knock Off potentially multiple times in a single match. Encore is the last option and is good for forcing support and set-up Pokemon into unfavorable moves, such as forcing Duosion to Calm Mind or Bronzor to Stealth Rock endlessly. Any of the three last options are perfectly valid options to run and it really comes down to what the rest of the team values most.
Abra finds a home on offensive teams that tend to not have enough of a defensive backbone to take on multiple varied threats and therefore need a blanket check to most anything thrown their way. Abra is unique in that it does not provide much to a team in terms of basic synergy, offensive or defensive, but instead fills in shortcomings in roles. Abra's ability to disable fast threats like Swanna or Simisear either by paralyzing them with Thunder Wave or by simply revenge killing them is extremely appreciated by teammates like Monferno or Huntail who might be revenge killed otherwise. Abra's further ability to disable walls like Bronzor or Stunfisk with Encore or Knock Off also makes them considerably easier to overcome, which is adored by partners like Torterra or Zebstrika that can be walled otherwise. Abra also desperately wants to avoid taking any unnecessary damage, so partners that can bring Abra in safely like Klang or Jumpluff are great choices.
[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/akir.231726/
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